Meet the Parents: Story 1
by TheOriginalLauren
Summary: What happens when Scott meets Shelby's overprotective father for the first time? I'll give ya a hint: It aint pretty. (OKAY! THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER!! PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!! AND READ BOTH OF MY NOTES, PLEASE!
1. Default Chapter

  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents: Story 1  
Introduction  
  
Disclaimer: Like I could make up such a great show like Higher Ground...I didn't! FFC  
did.  
Author's Note: Ok people, here's the deal. Orignally, I had an idea for a "meet the parents"  
idea, and it WASN'T gonna be like the movie. But then, Bao gave me an idea that it SHOULD  
be like the movie. I liked both ideas so I decided that I'm going to post both. This one is  
"story 1", the one kinda like the movie. I will post "story 2" after this one. Does everybody  
understand? This one is kinda funny. It's a little like the movie, but it's kinda different too.  
My next one isn't going to be humorous. Ok? If you don't get it, email me at afgirl122@earthlink.net  
and I'll explain it to you. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
  
Scott anxiously stood up when he heard the door open. His heart sunk when he realized  
who it was, or really who it wasn't.   
He ignored the weird look the girl gave him as she walked by.  
He then nervously looked at his watch. Shelby had been in Peter's office for seven  
minutes now, for she had a phone call.  
Scott was sure it was Shelby's mother on the phone, telling her she had to come home.  
He balled up his fists at the thought. He was wasn't going to let her leave again. He  
couldn't deal with that again.  
The sound of the door opening interrupted Scott's thoughts.  
The knots in his stomach tightened as he realized it was Shelby.   
*Here it is, she's going home* he told himself.  
Shelby just stared at him.   
"Well?" Scott finally asked.  
Shelby kept her straight gaze for a few moments then started laughing.  
"What?" Scott asked, confused.  
"Scott, chill. You look like you're about to have a heart attack," Shelby replied.  
*How can I chill knowing you're gonna leave* Scott thought. He nervously ran his fingers  
through his hair. "Who called, Shel?" he asked quietly.  
To Scott's astonishment, Shelby's eyes lit up. "Oh! It was my dad!" she happily exclaimed.  
Scott's eyes widened. "Walt? What did he say to you? I swear, if he said ONE thing..."  
Shelby interrupted him. "No, Scott, my REAL dad."  
Scott's expression softened. "Oh," he said, feeling better. "What did he want?" he  
continued.  
"He wants me to come him for a few days," Shelby explained.  
Scott waited a few seconds for her to throw a chair across the room or start screaming  
or SOMETHING, but she said nothing, a smile still visible on her face.  
"You WANT to go?" he finally asked.  
Shelby shyly looked at the floor. "Actually, yeah. I haven't seen him in a long time, and  
I've missed him," she quietly replied.  
Scott grinned.  
She looked up to see Scott smiling. "What?" she asked.  
Scott shook his head. "Nothing, I just thought that you were the type of person that would  
hate visits with the parents," he said quickly, ready for Shelby to yell at him for misjudging  
her.  
But once again to his astonishment, Shelby smiled. "Yeah, well. My dad is an exception,"  
she explained matter-of-factly.  
Scott looked at her with amazement. He was finding out more and more about her every day.  
"I told him about you, and he wanted you to come with me. But don't worry, I told him  
you wouldn't want to." Shelby assured him.  
There was a pause. "What if I WANT to go?" Scott asked seriously.  
Shelby laughed. "Come on, Scott! You don't want to meet my parents." Her smile faded  
when Scott kept his serious expression on his face. "Wait, you mean you WANT to meet  
them?" she asked in disbelief.  
Scott shrugged. "Yeah, I think it'd be cool to meet them," he replied.  
Shelby raised her eyebrows. "You don't know my dad, Scott." she said in a serious tone.  
"He's..." she trailed off for a minutem trying to think of a word to describe him. "Overprotective,"  
she finally answered with a smile of satisfaction.  
Scott shrugged once again. "I can handle it," he simply stated.  
Shelby's smile widened. He was in for a ride. "If you really wanna go..."  
Scott nodded.   
"Okay," Shelby agreed. She couldn't believe this was happening. "But don't say I didn't  
warn ya."  
  
  
-Is that ok so far? Sorry it's so short. This is just the introduction. The funny parts and stuff  
are coming up next. So PLEASE REVIEW!!! When I get alot of reviews, it encourages  
me to post! THANK YOU!!!!! 


	2. Meet the Parents: Chapter 2

  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents: Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: FFC owns the series Higher Ground.  
Author's Note: Sorry I couldn't get into the funny parts in this chapter. I had to show S&S  
on the way to meet them first, and I was feeling lazy so I decided not to combine the two  
parts. Nothing really happens in this chapter. Although Scott learns more about Shelby's dad  
and starts to get scared! He is such a cutie! Sorry, had an urge. Please review like always!  
Oh, this chapter is REALLY BAD! I wrote it really really fast so I'm sorry if it sounds like a   
5 year old wrote it!  
  
  
Scott stopped for a second to catch his breath as he struggled to lift Shelby's suitcase.  
Shelby laughed at him. "A little heavy for your weak muscles?" she teased.  
Scott smirked. "Haha," he replied sarcastically.  
He then took a deep breath and quickly grabbed the suitcase, throwing it into the trunk  
of Peter's truck.  
He looked back at Shelby. "Weak muscles, huh?" he asked with a smile.  
Shelby raised her eyebrows.  
Sophie then stepped out of the lodge. "You guys ready?" she asked.  
Scott and Shelby nodded.  
"Okay, let's go." said Sophie.  
But before they could move, Peter and the remaining Cliffhangers came out of the lodge  
to say goodbye.  
"You guys are leaving ALREADY?" asked a disappointed Juliette.  
Shelby smirked. "Queenie, we're only going to be gone for a few days," she stated.  
Juliette frowned. "But all of us have never been seperated for more than three days since  
we've all been here," she pouted.  
Shelby rolled her eyes. "Oh cut the act. You know you're glad to be away from us, or   
atleast me, for a few days."  
Juliette gave a slight smile. "What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.  
Everyone laughed.  
The Sophie looked at her watch. "Oh shoot, guys we need to leave now if we want to   
make it to the airport on time," she stated.  
There were some sighs heard from the Cliffhangers.   
Then they murmered godbyes and headed back to class, as Sophie, Scott, and Shelby  
stepped into the truck.  
Peter then walked over to the side of the truck to talk to Scott and Shelby. "Okay guys,  
just because you're not here at Horizon doesn't mean that you can do whatever you want.  
The rules are stil..."  
"We know, Peter," Scott interrupted. "Sophie already told us three times and she's going   
to tell us three more times," he continued.  
Peter cracked a smile at Sophie. "Yeah, I guess you're in good hands," he replied softly.  
"Just PLEASE be careful," he advised them.  
He then reached in and pulled Scott and Shelby each in a hug.  
Then he winked at Sophie.   
Scott and Shelby looked at each other and stifled laughs. Peter and Sophie always tried  
to act like they were just "friends", but everyone knew better.  
"Bye guys," Peter then said.  
The three waved to Peter and then pulled away, leaving Peter in the dust.  
  
*An Hour Later*  
"Okay guys, we'll be there in twenty minutes."  
Shelby awoke to the sound of Sophie's voice. She groggily sat up and yawned.  
She looked over at Scott to see a wet spot on the shoulder of his shirt where she had  
accidentally drooled. She tried not to laugh.  
At this time, Scott awoke also, his light blues fluttering open. "We almost there?" he asked  
tiredly.  
Sophie smiled. "yes," she replied.  
"Good," Scott muttered.  
There were some minutes of silence after that.  
Then Shelby turned from her position at thr window to look at Scott. "You really wanna  
do this?" she asked.  
Scott glanced at her. "Yeah," he replied confidentally. "Why do you keep asking me that?"  
he asked.  
Shelby shrugged. "If you knew my dad, you'd know why." she said quietly.  
It was quiet the rest of the way.  
  
*Thirty Minutes Later*  
"Flight 213 to Boston is now boarding."  
Almost on instinct, Scott and Shelby stood up and each grabbed their carry-ons.  
Sophie just watched them, all of a sudden feeling sad.   
"Well, I guess that's it," Scott remarked.  
Sophie looked away trying to hide the hurt in her eyes, but not until the two teenagers  
caught a glimpse of a tear in her eye.  
Scott and Shelby looked at each other and then back at Sophie.  
Shelby rolled her eyes. "Do you want a hug?" she asked jokingly.  
Sophie nodded and pulled Scott and Shelby into her warm embrace.  
"Okay, we're not leaving for college, we're just going to visit my parents," Shelby stated.  
Sophie took a deep breath and regained her composure. "I know," she said quietly. "It's  
just, things won't be the same without you two," she added.  
Scott laughed. "Yeah, looks like you won't have to give us shuns for being out after lights out."  
he joked.  
Sophie and Shelby giggled.  
"Flight 213, this is the last call," the loudspeaker blared.  
Sophie pulled away from them and wiped her eyes. "You better go."  
The two teens nodded and started to walk towards the terminal.  
"Be careful and have fun!" Sophie called out, before they disappeared into the tunnel.  
  
*Fourty Minutes Later*  
The plane had departed thirty minutes earlier and was now soaring through the clouds.  
Scott and Shelby had caused a big scene trying to decide who was going to get the  
window seat. After a long battle, Scott won and sat in the window seat. A defeated Shelby  
sat next to him in the middle seat.  
Scott had pretty much slept the whole time. When he finally woke up, Shelby decided  
to use the opportunity to tell him about her parents.  
"Melissa is my stepmother," she explained. "She got married to my dad a few years ago,  
and I've only seen her twice," she added.  
Scott nodded, as if to indicate to her to continue.  
"Melissa is always trying to get on my good side." She stopped. "I wish my real mom was  
like that," she murmered, looking at her feet.   
Scott decided he'd change the subject. It was obvoius that Shelby didn't want to talk   
about her mom. "So, uh, what about your dad?" he asked.  
Shelby looked up and half-smiled. "Oh, you'll have a time with him."  
Scott aquinted his eyes in confusion. "What?" he asked.  
Shelby laughed. "My dad is the most over-protective person you'll ever meet." She paused.  
"Just don't get on his bad side," she advised him.  
Scott started to get nervous. "What do you mean? What will he do?" he questioned.  
Before Shelby could answer, there was an announcement over the loudspeaker.  
"We are now entering Boston, Massachussetts. We will be landing in approximately three  
minutes."  
Shelby grinned. "You'll know soon enough," she replied slyly.  
Scott then got a feeling of dread. Maybe meeting Shelby's parents wasn't a good idea  
after all. "Well no turnig back now," he thought to himself as the plane landed on the runway.  
  
-Sorry this chapter was so boring and the parents and funny parts weren't in this chap. I   
PROMISE the next chapter Scott will meet them! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! 


	3. Meet the Parents: Chapter 3

  
  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents: Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer: I own Jake (you'll find out about him in this chap)  
Author's Note: Hey guys!!! Sorry it took FOREVER me to post this chapter! This chap is  
really short, and you STILL don't meet Shelby's parents, but I'm feeling really lazy, so I'll  
just put that chap up sometime soon. Anyways, on with the story.  
  
  
Scott's uneasiness didn't leave him as he and Shelby stepped off the plane, and headed  
through the terminal.   
Shelby could sense his nervousness so she squeezed his hand to calm him.  
He relaxed a little, but he still felt uneasy about meeting Shelby's parents. "What if they  
hate me?" he thought to himself. "What if they're really mean? What if..."  
Shelby's sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. "Hey," she gently pulled him aside.  
Scott looked up at her, worry creases still visible on his face.  
Shelby gave him a warm smile. "Scott, I didn't mean to scare you about my dad."  
Scott gave her a slight smile, and relaxed his arm around her slender waist. "It's not that,  
Shel. It's just..." He trailed off, feeling slightly embarrased. He then looked up again with a sense  
of courage. "I'm scared about meeting your parents because I'm not going to know how to impress  
someone who brought such a beautiful human being into the world."  
Shelby smirked. "Oh, that was sooo touching, Scott. What movie did ya get that on from?"  
she sarcastically asked.  
Scott shook his head. "It's the truth." He paused. "What if they think I'm not good enough  
for you, or that I..."  
He stopped as he felt Shelby entwine her arms with his. All of a sudden, he felt like he  
had nothing to worry about.  
Shelby then tilted her head up towards him, and whispered, "It doesn't matter what my   
parents think about you. I love you and that's that. My parents have nothing to do with it."  
Scott grinned. "Now what movie did you get THAT one from?" he joked.  
Shelby half-smiled. "No movie. I have my romantic moments."  
Scott gently cupped his hands on her cheeks, leaned in and lightly kissed her.  
Shelby kissed him back more passionately.  
Their light kiss turned into an affectionate kiss full of passion.  
Scott then slowly pulled away. An airport wasn't a good place for making out.  
Shelby pouted a little, but reluctantly broke away from Scott. "Okay, cowboy, let's go."  
The two elevated down to baggage claim.  
Shelby found her suitcase almost immediatly, but Scott's bag showed up after a few circles around.  
Scott quickly grabbed it and turned to Shelby. "I hope this isn't a sign," he said, rather scared.  
Shelby rolled her eyes, and grabbed Scott's hand like he was a child. "Come on, Jake  
is waiting for us."  
Scott squinted his eyes in confusion as Shelby dragged him across the airport. "Who's Jake?"  
he asked when Shelby finally let go of his hand.  
"The limo driver," Shelby replied as she peeked over people's heads, obviously looking  
for Jake.  
Scott's eyes went wide. "You have a LIMO DRIVER???" he asked, shocked.  
Shelby shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. "Yeah, but Daddy prefers driving himself, so  
Jake's pretty much being paid for nothing...Wait there he is!"  
Once again, Shelby yanked Scott's arm, and led him to a short, stubby man with a mustache.  
"Jake!" she squealed, throwing her suitcase on the floor and pulling him into a hug.  
"Miss Merrick!" The man replied, returning the hug.  
Shelby pulled away and roled her eyes. "How many times have I told you? Call me Shelby!"  
The man looked rather shy. "Well, I'm supposed to call you Miss Merrick," he explained.  
Shelby put her hand on her hip. "Well, I'm telling you to call you Shelby," she ordered.  
Scott just watched her. Was this really Shelby? Did she have some kind of a secret life  
he didn't know about? Limo drivers? "Daddy"? This sounded more like Juliette instead of  
Shelby.  
Shelby finally remembered about Scott. "Oh! Jake, this is Scott Barringer," she explained.  
Jake looked over at Scott. "Oh," he stated, obviously surprised. "I didn't know you were  
bringing a friend."  
Scott nervously over at Shelby. "He didn't know?" he asked her with his eyes.  
"Well, now you do," Shelby stated matter-of-factly.  
Jake just shrugged and extended his hand to Scott's. "Nice to meet you, Scott," he said  
with a welcoming smile.  
Scott tried to hide his confusion. "Yeah, nice to meet you, too," he answered.  
There was an awkward silence.  
"Well, here, let me put your bags in the back of the limo," Jake offered.  
He then grabbed the two suitcases and headed outside towards the parking lot.  
Shelby started to follow him, but Scott stopped her. "What's going on?" he questioned.  
Shelby sighed. "I'll explain in the car," she replied quickly. And she was gone.  
Scott groaned. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a very fun visit.  
  
-I know, I know! Scott STILL hasn't met the parents yet, but I've had a hell of a week, let  
me tell you! But I'm ready to start posting regularly again. Except, this week is spring  
break, so after spring break, Scott will FINALLY meet Shelby's parents! I've thought of  
some funny parts already, but I've still got to plan more. Email me at afgirl122@earthlink.net  
if you have some funny ideas. PLEASE REVIEW!!! THE MORE YOU REVIEW, THE  
QUICKER I POST!!!  
  
Next:  
-Shelby explains everything to Scott (he won't be confused any more!)  
-SCOTT MEETS THE PARENTS!!!!!!   



	4. Meet the Parents: Chapter 4

  
  
Meet the Parents:  
Chapter 4  
  
Disclaimer: As you know, HG is NOT MINE!!!!  
Author's Note: Hey everybody!!! Long time, no see!!! That's actually my fault. I'm sorry I haven't posted since April!!! I've been SOOOO BUSY!! Anyway, I'm leaving next Friday for camp, and I'll pretty much be gone 'til the end of the summer :-( So I'm going to TRY and finish this story up before the new school year. With ALOT of reviews, it'll be no problem, though ;-) So PUH-LEASE REVIEW!!!! I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE TIME!! Oh! The phrases/words that have stars in front of/behind them are the chracter's thoughts! Love ya'll!!!  
Scott nervously ran his fingers through his hair as he glanced behind him. *Okay, where did they go? They were here just a second ago.*  
He tried not to notice the sympathetic looks people were giving him. They were probably thinking, "Aww, look at that boy. He's probably lost. I hope he finds his mommy soon."  
Scott grit his teeth. He'd show them. He wasn't a lost six-year old boy. He was sixteen years old, and he WASN'T LOST. He just couldn't find Shelby and Jake.  
He looked back at the door where they had gone out of. There was no limo in sight. Scott groaned. *Maybe they went out a different door. No, no, they didn't! You watched them go through that door right there.*  
He quickly turned around as he felt a tap on his shoulder. To his dismay, it was a young mother of two, not Shelby or Jake.  
Her brown eyes were full of concern. "Are you lost?" she asked in a deep Southern accent.  
Scott took a deep breath to control his anger. "No, I am not," he replied calmly.   
The young woman nodded, but Scott knew she didn't believe him. "Well, you've been walking in a circle for the past twenty minutes, so you're obviously looking for SOMEBODY."  
*Geez!! Why can't everyone mind their own business?* "If I am looking for someone, that is MY problem," Scott snapped.  
The woman jumped back, obviously surprised, causing the baby in her arms to cry. She gently rocked the baby back and forth and glared at Scott. "Look, I was just trying to help," she spat trying to talk over her baby's cries.  
"WELL, I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!!" he yelled. By now, everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch Scott fight with a young mother.  
Scott heard someone say, "Kick his ass!!!"  
The woman quickly grabbed the hand of her other son and placed her baby son against her hip. "You certainly need SOME kind of help. And some manners wouldn't hurt!" she yelled just as loud as Scott had before. And with that, she angrily stalked off.   
She hadn't gone fifty feet when her older son pulled out of her grasp and ran over to Scott.  
All of a sudden, the four-year old socked Scott in the balls.  
Scott's jaw dropped in pain, and he winced in pain.  
"Don't mess wif my mommy!" the boy screamed.   
The boy's mother hurried over to him and quickly picked him up. "Sorry," she mumbled, obviously embarrassed her son had done that.  
Scott didn't say a word. He couldn't; he was in too much pain.  
The woman apologized again and then quickly led her kids away, scolding her son the whole time.  
To make the pain even worse, Scott could hear several snickers and giggles from passer-bys.  
He was about to give the finger when he heard his name being called on the loudspeaker.  
"Scott Barringer, please report to the Delta ticket desk. I repeat, Scott Barringer, Shelby and Jake are waiting for you."  
Scott groaned in embarrassment. *Could I humiliate myself ANYmore?*  
He then pushed aside his thoughts and hobbled over to the ticket desk across the airport. But not until he heard the applause everyone was giving him, obviously praising him for finding Shelby and Jake.  
When Scott reached the ticket desk, he could tell Shelby was trying not to laugh.   
"Hey," she greeted him, a smug smile on her face.  
Scott didn't even bother to greet her. "Where the hell did you go?" he asked angrily.   
Shelby's eyes widened in surprise. "I went out THAT door, Scott," she replied, pointing to the door on the right. "And you were right behind me. It's not my fault you got lost."  
It was all so clear now. *The one door I don't go to is the door that led me to them.  
Scott just tiredly scratched his head. "Okay, whatever. Can we just go? All of a sudden I wanna get out of this place."  
Shelby eagerly nodded and couldn't help but say, "Yeah, let's go. Wait, you want me to hold your hand so you won't get lost or get beaten up by a four-year old?"  
Scott rolled his eyes as Shelby burst out laughing. Even Jake was snickering.   
"Wait...you saw that little boy attack me?" Scott asked hoping to God she hadn't seen it.  
Shelby stopped giggling. "No, I didn't have the pleasure of seeing it, but I heard about it from about every person who walked by."  
"Great, just great," Scott mumbled. *This has certainly been a day from hell.*  
Shelby grinned. "Oh, cheer up. It's not a big deal," she told him.   
*Yeah, because YOU didn't feel like a little kid, getting lost and then getting beat up by a toddler.*  
Scott was trying so hard to be mad at Shelby, but he knew it wasn't possible.   
He sighed and then put his arm around Shelby, the tension leaving his face as he touched her. "Let's go," he said softly, leading her to the door.   
Jake quickly followed, still laughing to himself about the bizarre events that had just take place.  
______________________________________________________________________  
As Scott settled into the comfortable seat of the limo, he remembered that Shelby had to talk to him. "Okay, you wanna explain everything to me?" he asked suddenly.  
Shelby looked at him, confused. "Huh?"  
Scott exhaled sharply. "Remember, before my, uh, incidents you were going to 'explain everything in the car'."  
"Oh," Shelby said quietly, her eyes on the floor.   
Scott could sense that whatever she was going to tell him wasn't going to be good.  
Shelby then courageously glanced at Scott. "I'm going to tell you something, but you have to promise not to get mad," she informed him.  
Scott swallowed. "Um, okay," he said slowly.  
Shelby nervously twiddled her thumbs and then took a deep breath. "My parents don't know you're coming," she admitted quietly.  
"WHAT???" Scott yelled so loudly that Jake almost crashed the car.  
Then after Jake had safely recovered and moved the car back on the road, Scott turned to Shelby. "They don't know I'm coming?" he hissed more quietly this time.  
Shelby shook her head. "But you have to listen to me!" she pleaded. "See, I told my parents about you, I did! I told them how great you are and how cute you are and...", she paused, her cheeks turning pink, "how much I love you," she said softly, squeezing Scott's hand.  
Scott wanted to hug and kiss her so badly for saying that, but he couldn't. *You're mad at her, remember?*  
"But they, or really my father, insisted that I didn't know what love was and that you were probably some druggie I met and stuff like that," Shelby explained.   
Scott looked away, not wanting Shelby to see the hurt in his eyes.  
Shelby gently put her hand to his cheek and turned his face towards hers. "So, I decided that I'd show him how wrong he was and let him see what a great person you are," Shelby whispered, her eyes searching for any kind of understanding or compassion in his light blue eyes.  
For a second, Scott relaxed. *Maybe it'll all be okay.* But then reality hit him. His expression hardened a little, and he took Shelby's hand off his cheek.   
Shelby's hand, all of a sudden, felt very cold dangling at its side. She shivered a little, longing for Scott's warm touch.  
"Why didn't you tell your parents I was coming?" Scott finally asked.  
Shelby heisitated a little but then answered. "Because now they have to meet you. They can't say no."  
Scott then closed his eyes. *I can't believe this is happening.*  
"Scott?"  
He opened his eyes and looked over at Shelby. His heart fell when he saw her. No longer was she all smiles and excited. The twinkle in her eyes was gone. Her usual slight grin was replaced with a line. A straight line.  
He sighed. *Might as well make the best of it.* "Yeah?" he asked as he cradled the back of her neck with his hand.  
Shelby's body relaxed at his touch, and she managed a small smile. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said softly.  
Scott smiled also and laced his fingers with hers. "It's okay," he said.  
Allof a sudden, there was a snicker heard from the driver's seat. "I'd say that you two have a dilemma!" Jake exclaimed.  
He then stopped laughing when he realized Scott and Shelby weren't laughing with him.   
Scott then turned back to Shelby. "So what's the 411 on the parents?" he questioned.   
Shelby took a deep breath. "Well, my dad used to be a lousy father. All he and my mom would do was fight." She paused. It was hard for her to talk about her past. "The thing is, Scott, my father is an alcoholic."  
She slowly looked up at Scott, scared of his reaction.  
Scott just squeezed her hand. "Go on," he told her.  
*Please don't let me cry in front of him.* Shelby's gaze returned to her shoes. "When I was younger, he would go out and drink every night. I don't even remember him being at home at all," she explained, her eyes starting to water. *Don't cry! Don't cry! Don't cry!*  
Scott just watched her sadly. *She's really had it rough.*  
Shelby glanced at Scott. *Oh, no. It's the pity look. I hate being pitied! Come on, Shelby, pull yourself together!*  
She quickly wiped her eyes, hoping that Scott hadn't noticed and continued. "Anyway, he and Mom got divorced when I was nine, and then my mom married..." It still hurt to say his name. "Walt," she said slowly. "And then everything happened with him, and I came to Horizon," she explained quickly, praying to God that Scott wouldn't ask any questions about that whole ordeal. Thankfully, he didn't.  
"So, when did you reunite with your dad?" he asked, trying not to mention Walt.  
"I'm getting to that," Shelby answered.  
Scott nodded.  
"Well, uh, some time ago my dad checked into rehab. And eventually, he became okay," Shelby explained. "Then he met Melissa, and they fell in love and all that and got married."  
Shelby averted her gaze from her shoes to Scott's comforting eyes. *The worst part of the story is over now. Just make eye contact with him.* "Melissa comes from a VERY rich family. Like "Ritchie-Rich" wealthy," she informed him.  
Scott cracked a smile. *She is too cute.*  
So now that he was married and had money, he decided he's try and make things right with Jess and me."  
Shelby swallowed. "He called me one day at Horizon," she said slowly.   
Scott's jaw dropped. "He called you?" he asked in disbelief.   
Shelby nodded. "And he apologized for his drinking and everything." She stopped for a second.  
Scott knew not to say anything to push her; she'd talk when she was ready.  
She gently tucked a blonde strand of hair behind her ear and went on. "My dad didn't know about Walt and everything he did to me, or really Jess and me, and when I told him that day on the phone..." Once again, Shelby trailed off.  
Scott anxiously waited a few seconds for Shelby to finish her sentence. When she didn't, Scott couldn't take it anymore. "So what'd he do?"  
Shelby heisitated once again.  
Scott groaned to himself. *Why can't she just finish a story without stopping?* Right after he thought it, Scott instantly regretted it. *This is hard for her to do; give her time.*  
Suddenly, Jake spoke up again. "Yeah, so what happened?"  
Scott then felt very uncomfortable. *Jake's heard the entire conversation. Will he tell Shelby's parents what I said?* Reality then hit Scott again. *He's the limo driver! I don't think he and Mr. Merrick have personal chats about guests in their home...or do they?*  
"He literally flipped out." Shelby's voice interrupted Scott's thoughts. "He wanted to make sure Walt got the death penalty, or worse if it was possible."  
She gave a slight smile. "In a weird way, that was exactly what I needed. My mom said she believed me, but I feel like she secretly blames me for what happened."  
Scott looked away. He knew that feeling all too well.  
"Anyway," Shelby said quietly, "he then gave me a whole speech about how sorry he was for not being there for me when I was a kid," Shelby paused, but then gave a slight smile as a tear fell on her cheek, "and when I was being abused by Walt," she finished.  
Scott watched Shelby with amazement. *Wow, she really is a strong person.* "So, uh," he stammered lamely, "why couldn't your dad support you after the whole thing with..." Scott heisitated to say his name, "Walt? I mean, why didn't he take you in?"  
Shelby thought a minute. "Financial problems. When my parents were together, my dad was a gas pumper at Texaco. He had always wanted to go into law, but with his drinking and stuff, he, uh, couldn't. Well, atleast until he met Melissa. She encouraged him to be a lawyer, and now he is. A successful one, too," Shelby answered quickly. *Okay, Shel, you don't want to tell your whole life story here.* "And, uh, that's about it," she finished.  
Scott took a second to register all of this information. *Okay, Shelby's dad was an alcoholic. He neglected Shelby when she was a kid, followed by a divorce with Shelby's mom. He was pretty much a dead-beat father after that until he changed his ways and married a rich woman. Now that he had money, he came into Shelby's life again asking for forgiveness. Shelby forgave him, and now they live happily in a perfect world with limos, mansions, and MONEY.* He smiled to himself. *I should become a therapist.*  
A voice interrupted Scott's thoughts. "Okay, kids, we'll be there in about two minutes," Jake informed the two..  
Shelby excitedly glanced out the window like a little kid on her way to Disneyworld.  
Scott, on the other hand, didn't share her excitement. *Okay, come on! It's just like football. You know the play. Just go and make a touchdown!* But the nervous feeling in his stomach didn't alter. *If only everything in life was as easy as football.*  
"Hey, Scott."  
Scott turned to look at Shelby. "Yeah?" he asked, trying to cover up his quivering voice.  
Shelby bit her lip. "I, uh, just wanted to warn you about my dad."  
Scott rolled his eyes. *I've heard this a million times! She must think I can't deal with her dad. I'll show her!* "I know, I know. He's over-protective," he stated.  
Shelby shrugged. "Yeah, but he also has a away of getting to people," she explained seriously.   
Scott laughed. "What do you mean?"  
Shelby sighed. "He can really be a mean guy if he doesn't like you. He can make your life miserable."  
Before Scott could say another word, Jake exclaimed, "Okay! We're here!"  
Scott looked out the window and was shocked at what he saw. It was the hugest house, no MANSION, he had seen in his entire life! It was 6 stories high with stone pillars surrounding it. It looked Victorian, for it was made of brick. Some ivy was growing on the sides to prove this. Plus, there were atleast ten cars in the large circular driveway. A few limosuines, some SUV's, two BMW's, and a couple of Lexus's.   
He was now officially nervous.   
Jake parked the car in an open spot in the driveway and stopped the car.   
Then after he got out, he headed over to trunk of the limo to get the suitcases.  
"Okay," Shelby looked over at Scott as she took off her seatbelt and started to open the car door, "this is it."  
"Yeah," Scott replied unenthusiastically, "this is it."  
______________________________________________________________________  
Author's (in between) note: Okay, originally I was going to stop here and let Scott meet the parents in the next chapter, but I decided not to since I received many faithful emails and reviews. So I combined two chapters for ya'll!! So how about, since I did that, ten reviews???? Puh-lease???  
______________________________________________________________________  
Shelby gave Scott a warm smile and then opened the door. Before she started to get out of the car, she turned back to Scott.   
Scott then felt a flicker of hope. *Maybe she's going to tell me this is all a joke, and I don't have to go through with this*  
"Scott, don't stress about this," Shelby said quietly.  
Scott looked down at his hands. *Too late*  
Shelby sighed. "What I mean is, just be honest! They're just my parents! Don't feel like you have to prove anything to them."  
Scott looked up and met Shelby's eye.   
"Just be yourself," she whispered.  
Scott took a deep breath and then smiled. Truly smiled. *Shelby's right. Just be polite and spend the weekend with these people, and you'll be fine* "Let's go," he said to Shelby.  
Shelby grinned as she pushed the door all the way open. "Yeah, let's," she replied.  
Scott followed her as she stepped out of the car and gently laced his fingers with hers. But to his astonishment, Shelby, all of a sudden, looked very uncomfortable.  
"Um, I don't think you should do that," Shelby said quickly as she unlaced her fingers from his.   
Scott's eyes went wide in confusion. "What? Why not?"  
Shelby nervously placed her hands in her pockets. "I have another confession to make. My parents don't know..."  
"Shelby!"  
Scott looked behind him to see a pretty woman rush over to Shelby. *You just had to interrupt us at this EXACT moment*  
The woman then pulled Shelby in a big hug. "Hi, Melissa," Shelby forced, for Shelby was squeezing the daylights out of her.   
Scott took a step back, embarrassed. Obviously he wasn't invited in this family bonding.  
He glanced at Shelby's step-mother. *So this is Melissa*  
He took a second to notice her features. She was pretty tall, maybe 5'8. She had long, skinny legs that showed off her bright tan. She was wearing the shortest shorts possible with a quarter-length button up shirt with a strapless tank top, which, Scott tried not to notice, was slipping down to reveal a full cleavage. She had long, white-blonde hair that had probably been dyed MANY times which was pinned at the top of her head. She had full, pouty lips that was a nice purple color, from her lipstick Scott knew. Her nose was pointy, and Scott figured she snubbed others with it. Her eyes were a sea-green color, and they resembled that of a cat. *She's really model-like. You can tell she's a BIG snob.*  
A perky voice interrupted his thoughts. "I was just giving Laura a break by working in the garden here, and I saw you pull up! I've missed you so much, sweetie!" Melissa exclaimed as she hugged Shelby once again.   
Shelby managed a small smile. She looked over at Scott. *Okay, I'm supposed to introduce him now. What do I introduce him as? My friend? My boyfriend? No, just don't worry about it, yet. Hopefully Dad and Melissa won't be TOO madwhen they find out Scott is my boyfriend*  
Melissa followed Shelby's gaze. She then looked very embarrassed. "Oh! Excuse me! Here you go; here's twenty," she said to Scott as she handed him a twenty dollar bill.  
Scott looked down at the money, confused. "Uh," he started.  
Melissa looked back at the limo. "Wait, did you get the bags out of the car?" She let out a little laugh. "That's what I'm paying you for," she added.  
Scott then understood what Melissa was talking about. *She thinks I'm the baggage unloader!* [AUTHOR'S NOTE: I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE CALLED!] "No, no, no. I'm not the baggage unloader. I'm..."  
He was interrupted by a booming voice that sent shivers down his spine. "Shelbeee!"  
As Scott turned around to hear the source of the voice, he realized what Shelby had been talking about.  
There stood the scariest-looking man Scott had ever seen. He was tall, giant-like, maybe 6'2 and was VERY built. Scott could see his bulky muscles poking out of his t-shirt. But that wasn't the scary part. He had deep, intimidating brown eyes that seemed to stare a person down. He had a long nose with big nostrils that, Scott guessed, flared in anger when messed with. His mouth was curved in a loop-sided grin that was probably the closest thing to a smile he would give.  
"There's my baby girl!" the man exclaimed as he pulled Shelby in a bear hug.  
"Daddy!" Shelby squealed as she willingly returned the hug.   
Scott watched as Mr. Merrick's eyes turned from tough to warm and inviting.  
After the father-daughter reunion, Mr. Merrick turned to Scott, the stern expression on his face returning. "Who the hell are you?" he asked loudly.  
"Dad!" Shelby exclaimed in embarrassment as she poked him in the ribs.  
Mr. Merrick didn't even flinch, his eyes never leaving Scott. "I believe I asked you a question, boy."  
Scott nervously took a deep breath. "Um...I, uh..." *Shelby, help me out here*  
As if on cue, Shelby took over. "Dad, Melissa, this is Scott," she explained.  
Melissa and Mr. Merrick glanced at Shelby expectantly as if to say "And what relation does he have to you?"  
"He's a friend of mine," she added, hoping they'd buy it.  
Scott jerked his head towards Shelby. *Friend?*  
Shelby tried not to look at Scott, for she knew what he was thinking.  
There was then an awkward silence.   
"Well," Melissa stated, trying to act friendly, "it's nice to meet you, Scott," she greeted as she shook his hand.  
She then looked over at her husband and tilted her head towards Scott.   
"Yeah," Mr. Merrick said slowly, "I didn't know Shelby was bringing someone, but oh well," he added as he also shook Scott's hand.  
As he shook Scott's hand, his face hardened a little. "A weak handshake. That always indicated a weak man with SECRETS," he said as he emphasized the word "secrets".  
There was yet another silence.   
Shelby looked at the ground. *Oh, shit! He knows!*  
The silence was broken by a low, bellowed laugh. "I'm just kiddin with ya, Seth," Mr. Merrick smirked.  
"It's Scott," Scott corrected him, the tension not leaving his face.  
"Whatever," Mr. Merrick mumbled, obviously not caring.  
He then turned to Melissa. "Go tell Linda and the cooks to make dinner early. I want to find out EVERYTHING about Sam," he said as he tightly gripped his hand on Scott's shoulder.   
Melissa nodded. "Hey, Joe, how about you come and help me?" she suggested, obviously hinting she wanted to talk to him.  
"Nah," Mr. Merrick replied, his eyes on Scott and Shelby, "you can do it on your own."  
Melissa rolled her eyes and then pulled Mr. Merrick's strong arm. "I REALLY need some help," she said more firmly this time.  
Mr. Merrick groaned. "Fine," he mumbled as he followed Melissa into the house, his eyes never leaving Scott and Shelby.   
Once they were out of earshot, Scott glaned expectantly at Shelby. "Well?" he asked, wanting an explanation.  
Shelby nervously looked at the ground. "I better go unpack," she said quickly as she turned and walked away, leaving Scott by himself in a stranger's front yard.  
When she had successfully made it into her room, she blew a sigh of relief. *Whew! They don't suspect anything!*  
______________________________________________________________________  
"This is the boy Shelby was talking about," Mr. Merrick explained matter-of-factly.  
Melissa shook her head. "You don't know that," she replied. "He's probably just a friend, like Shelby said."  
Mr. Merrick then shook his head. "No, just look at the way she looks at him." He paused. "You don't look at a friend that way," he added.  
Melissa just sighed and walked away.  
Mr. Merrick didn't even notice. *That boy is going to pay. He's stealing my little girl's heart, and he WILL be sorry.*  
______________________________________________________________________  
I hope ya'll like this chapter! It took FOREVER for me to write. I just realized how hard it is to write a humorous story. None of this stuff probably sounds funny because you're not ACTUALLY seeing it, but I just imagine Scott being socked in the balls, and I crack up!! So you pretty much have to just IMAGINE it happening. But anyway, someone asked me in a review if I was trying to follow the show. Everyone, please listen...YES, I am trying to follow the show. In this chap, I kind-of explained where Shelby's father fit in all this. Like when they reunited, met, etc. I PROMISE you, everything will be cleared up soon. In the mean time, PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! In my "leave of abscence", I received many emails encouraging me to continue. I'm a sucker for encouragement. So please, if you like this story or not, REVIEW!!!!  
  
  



	5. Meet the Parents: Chapter 5

  
  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents:   
Chapter 5  
  
  
Disclaimer: Ugh! These things are annoying! The only characters I own are Melissa, Jake, and all the other members of the Merrick household excluding Shelby and Mr. Merrick.  
  
Author's Note: Yay!! I got 11 reviews which is AWESOME for me!! I'm glad you all like it! Unfortunately, you guys get to read this piece of crap that is supposedly a chapter. This one is kinda short, but I wanted to have all of them having dinner in the next chap. ATTENTION: I NEED HELP ON THE DINNER PART!! I want to have alot of funny things happen, but I don't want to copy the movie. Have any ideas? Email me at afgirl122@hotmail.com. Oh! Bee and I have started writing a fic called The Strong Are Saying Nothing, so please review it!!! Also, my little sister (Kaitlyn) has written a fic caleld Hanging on by a Thread, so please review that also!! She's only 10, so don't flame her!! And, PUH-LEASE review this chapter as well!! I'm hoping to get the next chap out later today or tomorrow at the latest!! Thanks!!  
  
  
"Dammit," Shelby muttered as she saw Scott walk by her room. *So much for trying to avoid him*  
  
She quickly glanced around her room, searching for a hiding place.   
  
"Shelby?"  
  
At the sound of Scott's voice, Shelby dodged under the bed, hoping he hadn't seen her.  
  
By now, Scott was in her room poking around and trying to look for her. "Shel, come on! We need to talk!" he yelled as he ran his fingers through his hair.  
  
Shelby brought her knees up to her chest. *Go away, Scott. I'm not ready to talk to you. Hell, I wasn't even ready for you to come and visit my parents!*  
  
Scott gave a defeated sigh. *Where could she be*  
  
As he reached the doorway, he turned and gave the room one last look.  
  
Shelby snickered to herself. *Nope, no one in here*  
  
She then felt a tingling sensation in her nose. *Oh shit! There's dust under this bed! Dust and allergies do not mix*  
  
Shelby held her breath. *Don't sneeze! Don't sneeze! Don't...*  
  
"Atchoo!"  
  
Scott quickly turned around and let out a little smirk. "Aha! I knew you were in here!"  
  
Shelby slowly crawled out from under the bed. There was nowhere to hide now. "Uh, hey, Scott," she said uneasily.  
  
Scott tilted his head slightly. "Shelby, cut the crap with me! Once again, you are hiding something. So how about, for once, you be honest with me!" he yelled.  
  
Shelby sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry."  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes pleading. "Scott," she paused, trying to find the words, "I can't tell my parents that we're a couple."  
  
Scott felt like someone had shot a bullet through his chest. "You...what?"  
  
Shelby nervously twirled a blonde strand of hair around her finger. "They would flip," she answered.  
  
Scott's eyes went wide in confusion. "Wait, I thought you said you told your parents about me!"  
  
Shelby looked at the floor. "Yes, I told my parents I had a boyfriend. But I didn't tell them YOU were my boyfriend," she admitted quietly.  
  
Scott pressed his lips together firmly. "Shel, if you told your parents about your boyfriend, then if you bring a boy to meet them, don't you THINK they might know?"  
  
Shelby shrugged. "My dad would have said SOMETHING." She paused and looked up at Scott. "You can't say anything to them, Scott," she advised him. "You can't."  
  
Scott threw his hands up in disgust, his face full of anger. "Why the hell am I here, Shelby? You tell me your dad wants to meet me, so I come. Then you tell me it's a lie, that they DON'T know I'm coming. And now, you lie to me AGAIN and tell me they don't know we're a couple, and I can't even tell them that!"  
  
Shelby's gaze never wavered, a new set of anger washing over her. "You were the one who wanted to meet them, Scott! You were actually EXCITED about meeting my parents! What was I supposed to do?" she yelled just as loudly as Scott had.  
  
"YOU COULD HAVE TOLD THE TRUTH!" he screamed. "Is that so hard for you to do? I mean, I'm starting to think I never should of come, since you're too ashamed to tell your parents about me," he added, trying to cover up the hurt in his voice.  
  
Shelby's gaze softened a little. "You know that's not true," she whispered. "I just..." she trailed off. *How am I going to explain this* "Maybe you shouldn't of come," she said quietly, her eyes on the floor.  
  
Scott's breath caught in his throat. He couldn't speak; she had hurt him too badly. Luckily, he didn't have to.  
  
"It's time for dinner," said a gruff voice.  
  
Scott and Shelby both turned to see Mr. Merrick peeking his head in the door.  
  
Shelby nervously put her hands in her pockets. "Okay, thanks. We're coming."  
  
Mr. Merrick nodded, studying Scott intensely with his intimidating eyes. His gaze lingered a little longer. Then he left.  
  
Shelby looked at Scott sadly. *Good one, Shelby. Once again, you hurt Scott*  
  
Scott just looked back at her with that hurt expression. Then he turned and headed out of the door.  
  
Shelby shut her eyes and rubbed her throbbing temples. *Shit. Scott's mad at me. I have to fix things with him, and I, somehow, have to tell Melissa and Dad we're a couple*  
  
She groaned when she thought of her dad and his interruption in Scott and her fight. A shocking realization then poured over her. *How much of our fight did he hear*  
  
"Shel-bee!" Melissa called from downstairs.  
  
"Coming!" Shelby yelled back, her head spinning.  
  
She then took a deep breath and started to head downstairs. *I just hope this doesn't end in chaos*  
  
-I know it sucks; you don't have to tell me. Or you can, if you want, in a review! I'm asking for 5 this time because this chapter isn't worthy of 10. Once again, any ideas for the dinner scene or any scene, for that matter, email me at afgirl122@hotmail.com.   
  
In the next chapter:  
-Scott has dinner with Shelby and her parents...will it end in chaos?  
  
And later:  
-Something happens that could ruin Scott and Shelby's relationship forever.   



	6. Meet the Parents: Chapter 6

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents:  
Chapter 6  
  
  
  
Claimer: I own all of the members of the Merrick household excluding Shelby and her father.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the remaining characters. Fox Family does.  
  
Author's Note: Oh my gosh!!!!! I received 10 reviews when I only asked for 5!!! HOW AWESOME IS THAT??? Thank you sooo much!!! Plus, all of the reviews were VERY nice with the exception of one. I would like to address that reviewer in this note. "D"-In the last part of your review, you said "Please hurry or no one will want to read your story." Well, I am extremely sorry I have a life and can't ALWAYS post. I am a very busy person, and writing here is supposed to be a FUN thing...not a full-time job! I would like to think that if I don't post for a month, a person would still would read it. Maybe you're not that type of person. And if you're not, that's okay. Just please don't review telling me that no one will read my story if i don't "hurry up and post" because maybe YOU won't read it if i don't post after a while, but anyone else would. WELL, now that I have that out of the way, I would like to thank the few people who gave me ideas for the dinner scene. I have decided to use some of them, but I'm afraid it's not as good as I would like it to be. See, tomorrow and Friday will be my LAST days to post until atleast July, so I'm trying to finish this story up. And, I'm sorry to say that this story will not be as long as I'd like because I want to finish. But I have ALOT of ideas for other stories, and I CAN'T WAIT to post them in July!!! Anyway, on with the dinner scene. Oh! How about 10? I know ya'll can do it!!  
  
Shelby slowly sat herself down in the stiff oak chair waiting for her at the table.  
  
She tried to meet Scott's eye, but he refused to look her way.   
  
Mr. Merrick noticed this and gave Melissa a look that seemed to say, "I told you so!"  
  
Melissa just gave a scolding look at him and then smiled warmly at Scott. "The food will be here in a minute," she told him sweetly.  
  
Scott forced a smile. "Okay, so what's on the menu?" he joked.  
  
His smile faded when no one laughed. Melissa gave Mr. Merrick a confused look while he looked at Scott like he was the dumbest person alive.  
  
"Steve, this isn't a restaurant," he explained, his eyes set on Scott.  
  
Scott nodded a little too eagerly. "Oh! I know! I just meant, ya know! What are we having for dinner?"   
  
Mr. Merrick just gave him a blank stare as well as Shelby.  
  
Melissa just politely smiled. "Linda will let us know what we are having soon."  
  
Scott nodded and put on a fake smile again. *Remember not to make jokes*  
  
"Now, you don't order or anything. You get what you get." said Mr. Merrick in such a voice that would haunt Scott in his dreams.  
  
"Oh! Are you going to be taking care of the bill as well?" he added, a sick smile on his face.   
  
Melissa and Shelby both gave the man a death glare, and Mr. Merrick groaned. "I was just kiddin with the boy. I believe he can take a joke."  
  
He looked over at Scott. "Can't you?" he stated, not really asking it as a question.  
  
Scott nervously clasped and unclasped his hands. "Yyyeah," he studdered, hoping Mr. Merrick wouldn't comment on his nervousness.  
  
Mr. Merrick just smirked. *What does Shelby see in this guy*  
  
Scott took a deep breath to calm his nerves. *Why are you trying to impress these people anyway? Shelby doesn't even want you here, so there's no point*  
  
At the thought of Shelby, he looked over at her. *She's been awfully quiet. Way too quiet for Shelby*   
  
She was sitting there deep in thought. *Okay, after dinner I can just casually tell them. Or I could go ahead and break it to them right now* Shelby stifled a laugh. *Yeah, right* Luckily, she didn't have to think about it much longer, for Linda had placed the food on the table.  
  
Scott gawked at all the delicious food waiting to be eaten. There was chicken, steak, oysters, crab...and that was just the main course. There was mashed potatoes, corn, fresh fruit, string beans...Scott had never seen so much food in his life. Then, there were the desserts, which was his favorite. There was apple pie, key lime pie, and EVERY chocolate dish you could imagine. Scott was in Heaven.  
  
Forgetting he was a guest, Scott went ahead and served himself a helping of everything offered. He licked his lips and was about to take a bite of the big, juicy steak, when he realized the Merricks were staring at him like he was crazy.   
  
He slowly put the bite of steak down and tried to hide his embarrassment.   
  
"Scott, are you a Christian?"  
  
Scott looked over to Melissa, his eyes wide in confusion. "Uh, yes I am. Why?"  
  
Then it dawned on him. Hadn't Shelby mentioned something to him about her family being big Christians and saying a prayer before each meal?  
  
Mr. Merrick had a beyond angry expression on his face. "Well, you obviously don't have many family dinners at home! You just went right in an got what you wanted, not even waiting for the host to take the first bite. You didn't even wait for us to bless the food!" he yelled, his face beet red.   
  
Scott dejectedly lowered his head. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. *I'd say this is going REAL well*  
  
Shelby bit her lip. *Damn you Dad! You can be such an ass sometimes. Come on, Shel! You owe Scott...make up for it*  
  
She quickly grabbed for all the food she could hold in one hand and placed it on her plate.  
  
Mr. Merrick looked at her, the expression on his face never changing. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his face starting to turn purple.   
  
Shelby pursed her lips. "What do you think I'm doing? I'm eating my dinner," she explained with a roll of her eyes.  
  
Melissa laughed internally at Shelby's cleverness. *Maybe Joe was right about this boy. Maybe this is who Shelby's been talking about. I can sure see what she sees in him*  
  
Mr. Merrick's blood boiled. *Why is Shelby covering up for him*  
  
Scott looked over at Shelby. *Why is she covering for me*  
  
Shelby just gave a Scott a wink that only he could see and took a bite of her chicken. *Ha! Now he can't give Scott the whole speech about how perfect the Merrick's manners are*  
  
Scott gave Shelby a small smile and also took a bite of chicken. *Maybe she wants me here after all*  
  
Mr. Merrick's gaze never wavered. *This is worse than I thought*  
  
Seeing that there was no reason to wait, Melissa followed Scott and Shelby's example and served herself some food.   
  
She made sure not to look at her husband. *This is one time I'm going to do what I want to do*  
  
Mr. Merrick gave his wife a glare as he downed down some wine. *What is happening to my family? I need to show them I'm still in charge*  
  
He then mumbled something under his breath and placed some food on his plate.  
  
Scott and Shelby glanced at each other and grinned.  
  
Meanwhile, Mr. Merrick didn't even notice. Think! What could you ask him*   
  
He then thought of a question. "So, Sal," Mr. Merrick started.  
  
"It's SCOTT," Scott corrected him, no longer feeling scared of Shelby's father.  
  
Mr. Merrick rolled his eyes. "Sal, Scott, same difference. So, why are you at Horizon?" he asked before taking a bite of chicken.  
  
Scott nearly choked on his water. *He had to ask that, didn't he*  
  
He gave Shelby a sideways glance, hoping she'd save him again, but she said nothing, her eyes on her plate.  
  
Melissa, also interested, placed her fork on the table and waited for his response.  
  
Scott took a deep breath and prayed for the best. "Well, I did drugs and stuff," he answered, telling half of the truth. Oh yeah, and my step-mother molested me, and I never stopped her*  
  
Mr. Merrick's eyes narrowed. "What kind of stuff?" he questioned, his eyes burning into Scott.   
  
Scott shrugged. "Just drugs, pretty much."  
  
Mr. Merrick shook his head. "You said you did drugs 'and stuff'. What else did you do, Scott?"  
  
Scott felt a new wave of anger wash over him. *Dammit! This is abuse! I don't have to tell him anything*  
  
There was an awkward silence.   
  
Mr. Merrick was still studying Scott, as if the answer would appear on his face.  
  
"Just drugs," Scott answered firmly.  
  
Mr. Merrick finally nodded, but he knew Scott was lying. *Maybe I should pull up Scott's records from Horizon. He's obviously hiding something*  
  
Scott picked up the [AUTHOR'S NOTE: I COMPLETELY FORGOT WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE CALLED WHERE YOU USE THEM TO CUT THE CRAB CLAW. I'M GONNA CALL IT A "CRABBER"] crabber and tried to cut the crab leg in half. He knew what Shelby's dad was thinking, so he decided to focus on anything but Mr. Merrick's intimidating stare.  
  
*Come on, cut already* He cut the claw off, and as a result of the force being used, the claw flew across the table and hit Mr. Merrick in the eye.  
  
Mr. Merrick winced in pain as he rubbed his eye as if to make it feel better.  
  
Melissa quickly got up from the table and ran to her husband's side followed by Shelby close behind her. "Are you okay?" "Do you need anything?" Questions like these were asked by the two girls.  
  
"No," Mr. Merrick replied, pushing their arms off of him,"I'm fine," he added.   
  
Scott knew what he was doing. He was putting on the tough guy act. *Shelby must have inherited that from her dad*  
  
He then pushed aside his thoughts and ambled over to Mr. Merrick. "I'm so sorry!" he exclaimed. "You sure you don't need any ice or..."  
  
"NO!" Mr. Merrick yelled. "Let's just...finish eating."  
  
The three reluctantly agreed and returned to their places at the table.   
  
Scott poked his fork around his plate. *Right when I think everything's going okay*  
  
"So, Scott, what's your last name?"  
  
Scott looked over at Melissa and was a little taken back at her random question, but didn't argue. *Just as long as she's not mad at me for hitting Mr. Merrick in the face with the crab claw*   
  
He then laughed internally at the situation. *It is kinda funny when you think about it*  
  
"Scott?"  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by Shelby. She was staring at him, waiting for an answer.  
  
Scott then remembered Melissa's question. "Oh! My last name is Barringer," he stated.  
  
Mr. Merrick's eyes grew wide. "As in Martin Barringer, the lawyer?"   
  
Scott grinned. *Yes! Maybe he's a friend of my dad, and now he'll be nice to me* "Yep, that's my dad," he stated matter-of-factly. "Do you know him?"  
  
Mr. Merrick's mouth turned up into a sneer. "Hell yeah, I know him! He happens to be my biggest enemy in law! He's a lying, cheating bastard, and he doesn't know how to represent a case worth shit!"  
  
Melissa gasped. "Joe!" she scolded him.  
  
Mr. Merrick shrugged. "It's the truth!" he yelled.  
  
Scott looked at his feet. *Okayyyy*   
  
He tried to block Mr. Merrick out of his mind as he continued to rag on Scott's dad.   
Scott looked at the piece of bread on his plate and realized it needed butter. Since the butter was near by, he reached across the table to grab it, his hand accidentally knocking the gravy over into Mr. Merrick's lap.  
  
Mr. Merrick quickly stood up, looking angrier than Scott had ever seen him. "Dammit!" he yelled. "Is there a reason why you've been doing all this?" he asked, trying to dab at his pants to get the gravy off.  
  
Scott groaned to himself. *WHY ME???? WHY ME???*  
  
Mr. Merrick gave Scott a death glare. "Well? You've been disrupting my household this whole day! What's your explanation?"  
  
Scott didn't know what to say. "Well, I...I didn't..."  
  
"Come on, Scott."  
  
Scott couldn't finish his sentence because Shelby was dragging him away.  
  
He looked back at the table to see Melissa frantically trying to get the gravy off her husband's pants as Mr. Merrick slurred curse words, obviously about Scott.  
  
Shelby led Scott to her bedroom and quickly shut the door behind her.   
  
"Whew! I had to get out of there!" Shelby exclaimed as she looked at Scott.  
  
Scott was silent for a second.  
  
"Your parents hate me," he then said quietly.  
  
Shelby's eyes softened. "No, they don't!" she assured him.   
  
She walked towards him and placed his hand in hers. "My dad acts like that with EVERYONE."   
  
She shrugged. "I don't know why."  
  
Scott managed a grin. "Well, I'm glad he doesn't act like that with just me."  
  
Shelby mirrored his grin. "Come here."  
  
She pulled Scott towards him, and they shared a honey sweet kiss.  
  
After a few minutes of making out, Scott moved his hands to Shelby's hips without breaking the kiss.  
  
Shelby broke away, laughing. "Stop, Scott! That tickles!"  
  
Scott gave her a devilish smile. "I'll show you what tickles!"  
  
Before Shelby could say anything, Scott began tickling Shelby.  
  
"Scott! Stop!" Shelby cried in between laughs.  
  
She fell back onto the bed, laughing; Scott followed.  
  
He then crawled on top of her.   
  
Shelby's breath caught in her throat. *Does he want to...in my parents' house?*  
  
Scott leaned down and whispered, "You know, I think I'm ready to..."  
  
Shelby held her breath. *Am I ready*  
  
Scott grinned. "Tickle you!!!!" he yelled while attacking Shelby again.  
  
The door then opened, and in stepped Mr. and Mrs. Merrick.   
  
Scott and Shelby turned and looked in the doorway. They were out of breath, and their clothes were in disarray.  
  
Melissa gasped. She looked over at her husband.   
  
Mr. Merrick looked at the two of them with hatred in his eyes. "I guess I never made it clear that there is NO sex in this house," he snarled.  
  
Shelby sat up and straightened her shirt. "Dad, I can explain."  
  
Mr. Merrick shook his head. "It's time for bed," he interrupted. "In your OWN bedroom," he added.  
  
Scott and Shelby solemnly nodded, and Scott left Shelby's room.  
  
*I feel like I'm like a little kid getting caught sneaking cookies or something*  
  
Scott changed into his pajamas and lay down to sleep. He was going to need a lot of sleep for the next day.  
  
Okay, I know it was really bad, but I was in a hurry. PLEASE REVIEW!!! I know it's not very funny, but I just typed some stuff. Anyway, how about 10??? I think I'm going to post two chaps tomorrow, and with 10 reviews, they'll DEFINATELY be up!! Thanks!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Meet the Parents: Chapter 7

  
  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents:  
Chapter 7  
  
  
  
Claimer: Melissa and the Merrick household (excluding Shelby and her dad) are owned by me.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the show Higher Ground or any of the characters.   
  
Author's Note: Hey everybody! I decided I'd go ahead and post this chapter since I'm leaving tomorrow :-( I wish I didn't have to cut this story short!! Oh well. Oh! I have another note for one of my reviewers: Chyler-You asked me why I always made Scott look like a "fool". I actually have an answer to that, and you will find out in this chapter. Okay, okay, I'll go ahead and tell you. Any time Mr. Merrick sees a guy that is getting close to Shelby, he gets scared. He gets scared because he thinks that all guys are going to hurt Shelby like Walt did. So he tries to make Scott look like a fool. Get it? it's kinda funny, because every time you (Chyler) review my story, you comment on something. One time it was if I was following the show. Another was if I could space the words out more. Now you're asking me to tone it down a little. I hope you understand, now, why I can't and don't want to do that. Anyway, how about 10??? Thanks!!  
  
Scott awoke to the sound of the door being pushed open.  
  
He groggily sat up and wiped his eyes. "What the hell do you want?" he asked, half-asleep.  
  
Mr. Merrick stepped in, his famous sneer on his face. "Don't address me like that, boy. This wasn't my idea!" he yelled.  
  
Scott groaned internally when he realized who he had yelled at. *Of course...I had to yell at him*  
  
Scott pushed aside his thoughts and forced a fake smile. "Good morning, Mr. Merrick. Did you sleep well?"   
  
Mr. Merrick's expression didn't change. "Don't you try to butter up to me. I see right THROUGH with you," he said, emphasizing the word "through".  
  
Scott bit his tongue from yelling back to Mr. Merrick. *I can't believe he treats a GUEST this way*  
  
"Come on. Get out of bed."   
  
Scott looked up at Shelby's father, confused. "What?" he asked.  
  
Mr. Merrick groaned. "Don't question me like that, boy. I'm going out to do some errands, and Melissa insisted you go with me."   
  
He paused, his eyes narrowed. "I wouldn't even have CONSIDERED taking you, but she's making me," he added in a raspy voice.  
  
Scott looked up at the ceiling, avoiding Mr. Merrick's icy stare. *Well, thanks alot. I feel the love*  
  
"So, get up and get dressed. I'm leaving in exactly 1800 hours, [AUTHOR'S NOTE: I DO NOT KNOW MILITARY TIME...I'M MEANING TO SAY IN AN HOUR] whether you're dressed or not."  
  
And with that, Mr. Merrick was gone, the iciness in the room leaving as well.  
  
Scott just watched him and tiredly scratched his head. *What time is it, anyway*  
  
He leaned over the bed and looked at the alarm clock. "Ugh! It's 5:30," he mumbled. *We don't even get up this early at Horizon*  
  
Scott then pushed aside his thoughts and started to get dressed. He didn't want to be on Mr. Merrick's bad side.  
  
After he had pulled his clothes on, he stepped out of the bedroom and went off to find the angry man.  
  
The house was dark and quiet.   
  
Scott tiptoed around the house, not wanting to make any noise. *I bet everyone's still asleep*  
  
He groaned as he thought of sleep. *That is EXACTLY what I want right now...sleep*  
  
Scott's thoughts were interrupted by a loud whisper coming from Mr. Merrick's office.  
  
He quietly tiptoed to the office and put his ear to the door.  
  
"Ray? Hey. I need a favor."  
  
There was a pause.   
  
Scott pushed his body against the door. *This is getting interesting*  
  
"Okay, do you think you could pull up a Horizon school record for me?"  
  
There was another pause.  
  
Scott's eyes widened in anger. *What the...*  
  
"Yes, here's the name. Scott Martin Barringer." [AUTHOR'S NOTE: I MADE UP HIS MIDDLE NAME]  
  
"You will? Okay. Great. Just fax me all the info you can find on this boy."   
  
Another pause.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
And Scott could hear Mr. Merrick hang up the phone.  
  
Scott tried to remain calm, but inside, his blood was boiling. *How DARE him!! He has NO right to pull up all this information about me! I could get him arrested for that*  
  
He smiled to himself, imagining what it would be like with Shelby's father behind bars. *Ha! He couldn't break us apart then*  
  
Scott saw himself with Shelby as his wife...having kids with her...growing old with her...no controlling dad...  
  
The door then opened and out stepped Mr. Merrick.  
  
He looked down at Scott who was on the ground, his eyes bulging. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" he screamed.  
  
Scott scrambled to get up. "I was waiting for you," he forced out.  
  
Mr. Merrick just stood there, trying to control his anger. *I have HAD it with this boy*  
  
He took a deep breath and stared back at Scott. "Meet me out at the car in exactly two minutes. I will be pulling out of the driveway in three, leaving a minute to get your seatbelt on and get comfortable."  
  
Mr. Merrick then marched away, leaving a confused Scott.  
  
Scott couldn't take it anymore; he burst out laughing. *Okay, am I at bootcamp*  
  
He then remembered he only had two minutes, so he hurried and made his way to the driveway.  
  
Sure enough, there was an impatient Mr. Merrick waiting in the Range Rover.   
  
Scott hurriedly pulled the passenger door open and jumped in.  
  
Mr. Barringer turned and gave Scott a glare. "When I say two minutes, I MEAN two minutes. You took three, so now we are already behind. You're going to have to put your seatbelt on and get comfortable when I pull out of the driveway, when you were supposed to already have done that before the car was in motion."  
  
Scott glanced at Mr. Merrick. *You've GOT to be kidding me*  
  
When Scott didn't reply, Mr. Merrick gave a slight smile of satisfaction and pulled out of the driveway, while Scott put his seatbelt on.  
  
It was silent the whole way to Mr. Merrick's firm.  
  
Once they had reached their destination, Shelby's dad looked over at Scott. "I have some things I have to take care of here. You can sit in here and wait, or come in and wait."  
  
Scott then had an idea. *I can use this for MAJOR sucking up* "I'll go in with you," he said with a cheesy smile on his face.  
  
Mr. Merrick frowned. "Well, come on then," he mumbled as he stepped out of the door.  
  
Scott followed him as they walked through the building, and headed to Mr. Merrick's office.  
  
Once in the office, Scott looked around and tried to think of a good question he could ask the lawyer.  
  
"So," Scott started.  
  
Mr. Merrick rolled his eyes. *Here comes the small talk* "I really need to get some work done, so..."  
  
Scott nodded. *I get the picture* "I'll go...find something to do," he said solemnly.  
  
Mr. Merrick replied with a wave of his hand and the slam of the door.  
  
Scott glumly looked at the floor. *There is no way I'm ever gonna get along with this man*  
  
*30 Minutes Later*  
  
Scott couldn't take it anymore; he was about to die of boredom.   
  
He quietly got up and opened Mr. Merrick's office door a crack and peeked in.  
  
There was Mr. Merrick. But instead of doing work, he was clutching a picture of Shelby with tears in his eyes.  
  
Scott's eyes widened in surprise. *The tin man has a heart in there after all* [AUTHOR'S NOTE: I TOOK THAT FROM PASSPORT TO PARIS-LOL! IT'S A CUTE MOVIE!]  
  
Mr. Merrick, still not noticing Scott, brought the picture up to his eye level and whispered, "I could have killed that man after what he did to you."  
  
Scott gasped, tears also forming is his eyes.   
  
Unfortunately, Mr. Merrick heard the gasp and turned and looked at Scott.   
  
For the first time, he looked very comfortable and scrambled to put the picture back and wipe his eyes at the same time. "What do you want?" he asked sternly, as if nothing had happened.  
  
Scott just stood there, frozen in place. *What do I say? "It's okay. Shelby's okay now?" "I know how she feels."  
  
Mr. Merrick looked up, confused. "Excuse me?"  
  
Scott closed his eyes. *Please don't make repeat it* "The same thing that happened to Shelby...it happened to me, too."  
  
Mr. Merrick didn't say anything. He didn't know WHAT to say.  
  
Scott decided to continue. "I guess that's why we get along so well. We UNDERSTAND each other."  
  
He paused. "Looks like you don't need to dig up my file from Horizon, now, huh?" he asked, his eyes tearing up.  
  
Mr. Merrick was still silent. *Oh shit! He heard me*  
  
"You wanna know what happened to me? FINE! I'll tell you! My step-mother molested me without my father knowing!" Scott screamed, tears falling down his cheeks now.  
  
Mr. Merrick started to say something, but Scott interrupted him.  
  
"And I NEVER stopped her! NEVER! I tried, but it never worked! I had to take drugs just to make myself feel better! I went from an all-star football athlete to a screwed up druggie!" Scott cried hysterically. "So there ya have it. THAT'S what it's gonna say in my record!"  
  
And with that, he turned and ran out of the building, crying the whole way.  
  
Mr. Merrick tiredly scratched his head. *What? No smart remark or rude comment to shoot back at him*  
  
He then realized why he hadn't. *I feel guilty. For the first time that I can remember, I feel GUILTY*  
  
*10 Minutes Later*  
  
  
Mr. Merrick headed out of the building in search of Scott.   
  
After a few seconds, he saw him sitting in the passenger seat in the car. Scott looked like he had calmed down a little, but he still looked depressed.  
  
Mr. Merrick took a deep breath and stepped into the driver's seat. "You ready?" he asked quietly.  
  
Scott just mumbled, "Yeah."  
  
Once again, it was a quiet ride back.  
  
When they made it back to the house, Scott quickly shut the door and ran up to the house, anger washing over him.  
  
Shelby and Melissa were both sitting at the table chatting, when Scott burst in.  
  
"Hi!" they both greeted him  
  
Scott didn't even reply; he stood there waiting for Mr. Merrick to come in, so he could say what was on his mind.  
  
"Scott?" Shelby asked, her eyes full of concern.  
  
Once Mr. Merrick stepped through the door, Scott turned to him, grateful he could finally say what was on his mind. "You are the rudest, most hateful man I have EVER met in my entire life."  
  
Shelby and Melissa exchanged confused looks and glanced at Scott.   
  
Mr. Merrick, a little taken back by Scott's outburst, mumbled, "What?"  
  
"You've made my stay here a LIVING HELL. You don't even know me, and here you are, acting all rude to me."  
  
Before anyone could protest, Scott turned to Melissa. "And you. You take all this shit Mr. Merrick gives you, and you don't stick up for yourself!"  
  
Melissa just took a step back, surprised. "Excuse me, but..."  
  
Scott finally turned to Shelby. "And then there's you. You won't tell your parents the truth! Say it, Shel! Tell them we're a couple!"  
  
Shelby's eyes narrowed. "Scott! What is wrong with you?"  
  
Scott ignored her. "Your dad wasn't there for you when Walt abused you! He was out drinking! And here you are, just forgiving and forgetting! You're picking him over me!"   
  
He heard Melissa gasp, and he could feel Mr. Merrick's icy stare on him, but he didn't care. His eyes never left Shelby's.  
  
For a second, he thought she might cry, for her face crumpled up.  
  
But then, Scott felt the pain of being slapped hard in the face.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!!" Shelby screamed, tears streaming down her face. "You know NOTHING about the whole thing!!! How DARE YOU!!!"  
  
She then began hitting him hard on each arm, anything to let out her anger and frusteration. "Get out!" she yelled.  
  
Scott bit his lip. *Maybe I went too far*  
  
When she realized he wasn't moving, Shelby yelled it louder. "I said GET OUT!!"  
  
"Shel, I love you! I love you so much, and you're letting your dad break us apart!" Scott cried, tears visible on his pink cheeks.  
  
Shelby just looked up at him, her mouth in a straight line. "I said get out, Scott."  
  
Scott gave Shelby one last look.   
  
Then he walked over to the door.  
  
He looked back one more time to see Melissa softly whimpering, Mr. Merrick looking expressionless, and Shelby trying not to cry but be firm instead.  
  
And he opened the door and walked out of the house, leaving the Merrick's home forever.  
  
-PLEASE REVIEW!! I just realized I'm leaving tomorrow AFTERNOON so I'll probably post it then. I hope I answered your question, Chyler. 10 PUH-LEASE!!!  
  
Next (FINAL CHAPTER):  
-What will happen to Scott and Shelby???  
  
  
  
  



	8. Meet the Parents: Chapter 8 (FINAL CHAPT...

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Meet the Parents:  
Chapter 8  
FINAL CHAPTER  
  
  
  
Claimer: Yay!! This is the last time I get to do these annoying things for a while! I own Melissa and the Merrick household except for Shelby and Joe Merrick...although I did make up the name Joe Merrick-lol!  
  
Disclaimer: I DO not own Shelby, Scott, Mr. Merrick...Fox Family does although they don't deserve them.  
  
Author's Note: GUESS WHAT PEOPLE?? I'M NOT LEAVING TODAY!! See, my mom was supposed to fly in, and then take us to visit relatives, where from there we would drive to camp. Well, she got in REALLY late this morning...at about 3, so instead, we're leaving tomorrow and visiting relatives. Then, we go up to camp on Sunday!!! I'M SOOO EXCITED!!! But anyway, this works out really well because now I can finish the last chapter! But, I am very sad about staying because one of my best "friends" decided to get all mad at me, so now we're in a fight :-( But I don't even care...I told her I'm losin the zeros and gettin with the heroes-lol! ANYWAY, this IS the final chapter. I received 7 reviews which is okay. I have some of ideas for stories, and I'm really excited about posting them in July!! So, PLEASE REVIEW ONE LAST TIME AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!!!!!!!  
  
  
THIS STORY IS DEDICATED TO KATE aka "MISS KATE"  
THANKS FOR ENCOURAGING ME!!!  
  
Scott slammed the door to the taxi and quickly thrust some money at the driver.  
  
The driver mumbled, "Thanks," but Scott wasn't even listening. *Why the hell did I say all that stuff*  
  
He then pushed aside his thoughts and headed into the airport, which was bustling with people.  
  
Scott then realized something. *What am I going to do about a ticket?? I have NO money*  
  
He angrily banged his fist into the wall, causing people to point and stare at him. But Scott didn't care. *What am I going to do*  
  
He then knew of one person that always knew what to do and was always willing to help out.  
  
Scott jogged over to a pay phone, pulled some change out and dialed Peter's number.  
  
*Two Days Later*  
  
Mr. Merrick groaned as he heard Shelby's heavy sobs. "When will she get over this boy?" he asked, turning to Melissa.  
  
Melissa internally rolled her eyes. *Maybe because she loves him* "I don't know, sweetie," she replied, not daring to say what she thought.  
  
Mr. Merrick just rolled over, his back to his wife. "Well, if it's going to be like this for the remaining days of her trip, then I'm going to hurt him."  
  
Melissa was ready to agree with him, when she remembered Scott's words.  
  
*FLASHBACK*  
  
"AND YOU. YOU TAKE ALL THIS SHIT MR. MERRICK GIVES YOU, AND YOU DON'T STICK UP FOR YOURSELF!"  
  
*END OF FLASHBACK*  
  
*He's right. I need to stick up for myself*  
  
"Melissa!"  
  
She looked over at her husband to see him waving his hands in front of her face. "You didn't laugh at my joke!" he exclaimed with a pout.  
  
*That's it* "THAT'S BECAUSE IT WASN'T FUNNY!!!" Melissa screamed, happy to get it off her chest.  
  
Mr. Merrick's eyes narrowed. "What did you say?" he asked in disbelief.   
  
Melissa licked her lips. "Joe, it's not your fault about what happened with Walt," she said calmly, deciding to take the quieter approach.  
  
Mr. Merrick's eyes widened in confusion. "What brought all this on? I didn't say anything!"  
  
Melissa gave him a reassuring smile. "That's the reason why you've been so mean to Scott. You think he's going to turn around and hurt Shelby like Walt did," she explained.  
  
Mr. Merrick was about to protest, when he realized that everything she was saying is true. "I just...I wasn't there for my daughter when she was abused. I want to be there for her now," he said quietly.  
  
Melissa's eyes softened. "You are, Joe. You ARE a great dad. It doesn't matter what went on in the past; Shelby loves you."  
  
Mr. Merrick looked up and met his wife's eye. "Ya think?" he asked.  
  
Melissa reached for Mr. Merrick's hand and squeezed it. "Yes, I do. And if you want to be there for Shelby, you should TRUST her."   
  
She paused. "She loves this boy. And this boy loves her. He'll take care of her. You just have to realize that."  
  
Mr. Merrick was silent for a minute, his wife's words echoing in his mind.   
  
He then gave her a small hug and got up and left the room.  
  
By the time he reached the hallway, Mr. Merrick could still hear his daughter's cries.  
  
He walked over to her door, and gave a light knock.  
  
No answer, just more sobbing.  
  
Mr. Merrick then slowly opened the door and stepped into the room and looked at his daughter.  
  
She was a wreck. She looked like she hadn't taken a shower in days, or done anything for that matter, including sleep. Her face was all splotchy, and her eyes were red from crying.  
  
"Come on," Mr. Merrick then said.  
  
Shelby looked up, her breath catching in her throat. "Wwhat?" he studdered.  
  
"Let's go," he told her, crossing his arms.  
  
"Where?" Shelby asked, still whimpering a little.  
  
"I'll tell you in the car."  
  
And he was gone.  
  
Shelby groaned. *I don't want to go anywhere! I want to lie down and cry*  
  
Her father's voice interrupted her thoughts. "Let's goooo!" he yelled.  
  
"Okay,okay," Shelby mumbled as she followed him out to the car.  
  
As Mr. Merrick started the car, he looked over at Shelby who was still sobbing. "We're going to Horizon."  
  
Melissa watched as the father and daughter pulled out of the driveway and smiled. *Oh the things people will do for love*  
  
*Two Days Later*  
  
Scott groaned as he heard Juliette recount the details of her and Auggie's date. Lately everything was bothering him. *Well, anything related to love*   
  
He thought about what happened after that whole ordeal. He had called Peter, and he had gotten Scott a ticket. *Then came the questions*  
  
Peter wasn't trying to push, but he had to know why Scott had come back early, as did everyone else.  
  
For the past four days, everyone had been pumping Scott for information about what happened.  
  
Scott ran his fingers through his hair. *What's gonna happen when Shelby comes back? Will she come back? What will I say to her*  
  
His thoughts were interrupted by a car pulling up.  
  
He sat up and decided to greet the visitor. *Anything to keep my mind off...*  
"Shelby?" he said to himself.  
  
Sure enough, there was Shelby sitting in the car. *What? What's she doing here? Does she still love me? Does...*  
  
Then Scott saw who was sitting the driver's seat. He then had no intention of going there.  
  
"Okay, Shel, go get him!"  
  
Shelby looked up at her dad, fear in her eyes. "I...I don't know what to say to him," she admitted.  
  
Mr. Merrick shook his head. "We didn't spend two days driving in a car for you to chicken out. Come on! Go talk to him!"  
  
Shelby looked out the window at Scott. "What if he doesn't love me anymore?" she asked quietly.  
  
Mr. Merrick's eyes softened and he pulled Shelby into a hug. "Shel, I screwed up. I...was scared that Scott was going to hurt you," he admitted slowly.  
  
Shelby's eyes shot up. "What?"  
  
Mr. Merrick looked down at his hands. "After what Walt did to you, and I wasn't there..."  
  
He couldn't take it anymore. He let the tears flow freely.  
  
Shelby then also started crying and gave her father a hug also. "It's not your fault. It's over now, and I'm okay," she whispered, her head against his chest.  
  
Mr. Merrick wiped his tears and looked down at Shelby. "He loves you, Shel. You can tell by the way he looks at you and talks about you. That doesn't go away. It stays FOREVER."  
  
Shelby laughed. "Well, Dad, never knew you were a romantic," she joked.  
  
Mr. Merrick grinned. "Are you ready?" he asked.  
  
Shelby took a deep breath and looked at her reflection in the mirror.   
  
She gasped when she saw her face. "Oh my gosh! Why didn't you tell me I looked this bad?"  
  
Mr. Merrick smirked. "I guess that's a no."  
  
Once again, Shelby looked out at Scott and started to think fast. "Um...go distract him! Just for a few minutes...I'll be out in a sec! Just let me make myself more presentable."  
  
Mr. Merrick nodded. "Okay," he said slowly. *I owe him an apology anyway*  
  
He stepped out of the car and started to walk towards Scott.   
  
When Scott saw that he was walking his way, he quickly turned and started to walk away.  
  
"No, Scott! Wait!"  
  
Scott reluctantly turned around, hand on hip. "What do you want?" he questioned.  
  
Mr. Merrick jogged to catch up with him and then paused. *It's been a while since I've apologized* "I...um, I'm sorry," he said quickly.  
  
Scott's eyes widened in disbelief. "You are?" he asked.  
  
Mr. Merrick nodded. "I know you love my daughter, and I know she loves you. I saw this, and it scared me."  
  
*Wait, she loves me? And Mr. Merrick was scared of...*   
  
All of a sudden, he understood. He couldn't explain it, but he understood what Mr. Merrick was trying to say.  
  
The man looked at Scott, waiting for his approval.   
  
Scott grinned. "I forgive you."  
  
Mr. Merrick then mirrored his grin and gave Scott a hug.  
  
Once he had pulled away, he looked back at the car and motioned to Scott to go talk to Shelby.  
  
Scott nodded and then jogged towards the car.  
  
Mr. Merrick watched him...the smile on his face...the love in his eyes...*Ah, young love*  
  
"I'm proud of you."  
  
Mr. Merrick turned around to see Melissa standing behind him.   
  
His eyes grew wide. "Melissa! How did you? When did you.."  
  
Melissa grinned. "I knew you were taking Shelby here. I don't know why, but I did." She squeezed her husband's hand. "So I flew out here."  
  
Mr. Merrick smiled back at his wife, and they shared a long kiss full of passion. *I think I like this new me. It sure has been getting me all the ladies*  
  
Melissa then motioned for Mr. Merrick to follow her. "Come on, let's leave the kids alone."  
  
Mr. Merrick nodded and followed his wife, not once looking back.  
  
*20 Minutes Later*  
  
Shelby smiled as she felt Scott's strong arm around her shoulder. "Hmmm," she murmured. *Whoever said that the best thing about a break up is getting back together, was right*  
  
Scott smiled at her and kissed the top of her head. *What an amazing day. My girlfriend drives all the way from Boston to proclaim her love for me, her father apologizes to me, and I get back together with the girl I love*  
  
He blissfully sighed. *I just want to stay in this moment forever*  
  
Shelby's sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. "I am so glad that's over," she stated, refering to Scott meeting her parents.  
  
Scott grinned and looked down at Shelby. "What are you talking about? It's not over."  
  
Shelby looked up at Scott, confused. "What?"  
  
Scott paused for a few seconds before answering.  
  
The he brought Shelby's chin up and whispered with a smile, "You still have to meet my parents."  
THE END  
  
  
  
-That's all folks!! I know it was a corny ending, and it was kinda rushed, but oh well. PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!! I have some ideas for stories, and I'm going to start writing them at camp! Here are the ideas for some stories I have  
~a kind of depressing story about sisters  
~S&S fic about divorce  
~short story about Shelby and her thoughts on love  
And that's about it for the moment. Let me know which one(s) you like. Oh! everyone can still email me, but I can't email you back! If ya want to email me at camp about my story and what you thought, or about my future stories, or if you just want to say hi, email me at office@rockbrookcamp.com. Just put "Lauren Greene" in the subject line. I'd love to keep up with everyone's stories and stuff, so please email me with your story!! I'd LOVE to read it!! Plus, I never get much mail at camp, so I'd be sooo happy if you emailed me!! Anyway, I have to go back!! PLEASE REVIEW, PLEASE EMAIL ME, and I'll see you all in July!!  
  
-LAUREN:-)   
  
  
  



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